Dikironium cloud creature

The dikironium cloud creature (also referred to as the "vampire cloud") was a semi-sentient gaseous predator that sustained itself by feeding of the corpuscules of iron-basedblood until its prey died. The creature was given this name because of the most-common element that the creature was able to transform into, namely dikironium.

According to sensor scans taken by the USS Enterprise in 2268, the creature seemed to exist in a borderline state between matter and energy, and contained elements of both states. It was also theorized that the creature propelled itself at warp speed using gravity fields.

The next encounter with the creature occured on Argus X in 2268, when the Enterprise was performing a survey of that planet. During this encounter the creature killed several crewmen on the surface and aboard the Enterprise. Fortunately, serving aboard the Enterprise at that time was CaptainJames T. Kirk, who had served aboard the Farragut during the first encounter, and EnsignStephen Garrovick, the son of Captain Garrovick.

Together the two officers worked on a way to destroy the creature, against the advice of Spock and Dr.McCoy. After pursuing the creature back to Tycho IV, Kirk and Garrovick set off a large antimatter bomb which destroyed the creature. (TOSepisode: "Obsession").